Advertising and marketing executives are constantly focused on reaching customers in new and innovative ways. With the widespread use of wireless communication devices and continuous advances in handset technology, previously untapped new avenues of advertising are becoming readily available. Because of the breadth of varying technology in handsets, the many types of media, and the lack of infrastructure to support advertising in the wireless world (compared to, for example, the internet or television advertising), tools in the form of both software and hardware are needed to most efficiently and effectively manage advertising content and campaigns in the new mobile avenues for advertising.
Advertising may be displayed in a splash screen of a wireless device. A splash screen is displayed and used by an application or operating system to notify the user that the application or operating system is in the process of loading. When used for advertising, the splash screen utilizes downtime while a program loads for advertising purposes. The splash screen then disappears when the application's main window appears. Splash screens may be visually appealing, and may also have animations, graphics and sound.
Some carriers use splash screens in wireless devices to display a static logo or brand to the user while, for instance, the device powers up and its operating system loads. The logo or brand displayed does not change, and is not targeted to the user or location of the device.